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Mount Spil 555 - a Tourist Route Development project

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The Spil 555 project is aimed at organizing and arranging a network of tourist routes to support and develop ecological and industrial tourism in the Pechenga district.

Project background

 The strategy of tourism development in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2035 defines eco-tourism as a priority.

 Pechenga district has a high ecological and tourist potential: there are several specially protected natural areas: the Pasvik Nature Reserve, the natural parks of the Rybachy and Sredny Peninsulas and Korablekk. Moreover, there are natural monuments of the Waterfall on the Shuonijoki River, Cedars in the Nikel Forestry, etc., as well as many other attractive for development ecotourism in the area.

 In 2021, with the support of the Second School Center, the Waterfall on the Shuonijoki River and Cedars in the Nickel Forestry natural monuments were equipped. The equipped facilities were highly appreciated by both local residents and tourists, as well as the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Fisheries of the Murmansk Region, representatives of the Consulate of the Kingdom of Norway and local authorities.

 With the short-length routes opened in 2021 and surveys conducted on social networks among local residents, it was decided to open and equip a longer eco-route in 2022 with the option of overnight parking in tents.

Mount Spil

 Spil Mount is situated near the village of Nickel. Its height is 555 meters above sea level.,The road to the mountain partially runs along the segment of the technological road of JSC Kola MMC, running from the Kaula-Kotselvaara mine to the Severny mine. With the long route arrangement on this territory you will see an open and already unused quarry, technological sites, rock piles, destroyed buildings and other human-made elements of the route already on the first part of the route.

Tourist attraction of the route

 It will be extremely interesting for tourists to learn about the history of copper-nickel ore mining, the rich geology of the region and the development of mining and metallurgical production here, as well as about the work of the Kola MMC. The second part of the route will allow you to see the untouched tundra, swamps, streams and mountain passes. The route will finish with a climb to the Spil mountain, which offers a beautiful view of the surrounding area. Thus, the route will become ecological–industrial or natural–human-made one. The trail from the Spil Mountain passes to the iconic place – the Kola ultra-deep well, which makes it possible to walk and see this place from one of the highest peaks of the Pechenga district. The location of the parking camp is supposed to be at the foot of the mountain near the lake that is popularly called Peschanoye (that means "Sandy" in Russian) or in its vicinity, which will allow tourists to have access to the reservoir.

 Project concept

The main concept of the project is to stress the place contrast of technogenicity and untouched nature, which will be relevant for both Russian and foreign tourists. This feature, in turn, will allow the development of both domestic and inbound tourism. The project is being implemented as a continuation of the Tourist Routes of the Pechenga District project.

The purpose and objectives of the project

 The main goal is to create a long-term hiking eco-route for the development of eco-tourism in the Pechenga district.

Main objectives

  • to create a scheme of an ecological and tourist hiking route considering the natural diversity of the Spil Mountain and the areas with a human-made past;

  • to prepare area sections along the line of the chosen route, including garbage collection, its removal and clearing of trails, preparation of territories and roads for safe tourist movement;

  • to equip the tourist route with the necessary infrastructure facilities, a parking camp and an observation deck;

  • to conduct an information campaign about the route on the Internet, in social networks, and on regional TV channels;

  • to test the route at the end of the work in the snowless and snowy season.

Project Team

The audience involved in the project implementation

Local entrepreneurs from Nikel;

Experts of the tourism industry;

The team of the Tourist Routes of the Pechenga District project;

Pasvik Nature Reserve as an expert on natural territories and ecotourism in the district

Project Partners

Administration of the Pechenga Municipal District;

Kola Mining and Metallurgical Company;

 Information support of the project

TV21 Regional TV CHannel:

KN51 Online media.